Fruiticana raises $100,000 for Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Children’s Health Centre Campaign

(L-R) Puneet Dhillon, Community Liaison Coordinator, Surrey Hospitals Foundation; Harp Dhillon, Vice Chair, SHF Board of Directors; Sonia Virk, Director, SHF Board of Directors; Tony Singh, President, Fruiticana; Azra Hussain, Chief Operating Officer, Surrey Hospitals Foundation; Don Hickling , Vice President, Leadership Giving, Surrey Hospitals Foundation. Photo submitted

FRUITICANA, one of Western Canada’s largest grocery chains, has raised $100,000 for the Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Children’s Health Centre renewal campaign. Fruiticana raised the money from two in-store fundraising campaigns throughout the year in celebration of Diwali and Vaisakhi.

A cheque presentation was held on Thursday at the Fruiticana headquarters in Surrey.

As one of the Foundation’s first Community Champions, Fruiticana has continued to give generously to the Foundation’s fundraising campaigns. The Community Champions program was launched in 2019 to spark interest amongst philanthropic businesses who are looking for creative ways to give back to their community.

Fruiticana President Tony Singh Photo: JAY SHARMA of Mahi Photo Studio

The Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) is the only health facility in the Fraser Health region dedicated to children’s health and paediatric emergencies, including children’s surgery and cancer programs. SMH has the region’s only children’s emergency department, one of only two in British Columbia. The Children’s Health Centre treats 43 per cent of B.C.’s children who reside in the Fraser Health region, and treated 46,000 children in 2019.

The Foundation is working with the community to raise $6 million to transform the Children’s Health Centre, to add and expand new clinics and services including Neurology, Cardiology & Nephrology (kidney).

Photo: JAY SHARMA of Mahi Photo Studio